Smelting furnace



Aug. 1 3, 1929. c. H. MACE 1,724,490

SMELTING FURNACE Filed Jan. 30, 1925 I N VEN TOR.

C. H. Mace.

Ely-5 Q W 3 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATS CLEMENT H. MACE, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SMELTING FURNACE,

Application filed January This invention relates to smelting furnaces and more particularly to blast furnaces of the general type shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,334,310 of March 23, 1920, embodying as distinctive features of construction a removable crucible beneath a relatively stationary shaft, an insulating element for the crucible, and slot-shaped tuyeres extending the full length of the furnace at opposite sides thereof. 7

It is an object of the present invention to simplify the construction and enhance the practicability and efficiency of a furnace of the above described character by certain new and useful improvements relating principally to the hereinbefore stated distinctive features of the invention disclosed in the above mentioned patent' One of the improvements relates to the method of mounting the shaft and the crucible of the furnace, whereby the latter is readily removed and replaced; another improvement resides in the construction of the crucible, particularly with reference to insulating it against the cooling influence of the atmosphere; a further improvement consists in making the crucible of knock-down construction to facilitate the repair and renewal of its non-fusible lining; and still another improvement consists in arranging the tuyeres through which the air is forced into the furnace, in connection with exteriorly applied separate air chambers and with means for regulating the admission of air to said chambers.

A blast furnace in which the hereinabove enumerated improvements and other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts are embodied,'has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the several views of which like parts are similarly designated and in which Figure 1 represents a partially sectional elevation of the furnace;

Figure 2, a fragmentary sectional elevation in a plane indicated by the line 22 in Figure 1, drawn to an enlarged scale;

Figure 3, a horizontal section through a part of the crucible of the furnace on the line 3-3, Figure 2;

Figure 4, a similar section showing the relative arrangement of the tuyeres and air chambers of the furnace taken on the line 44, Figure 2; and

Figure 5, a detailed further enlarged horizontal section of one of the corners of the 30, 1925. Serial ivo 5,905.

crucible, illustrating the method of assembling the sections of which its outer wall is composed. i Referring more specifically to the drawlngs, the numeral 5 designates a suitably supported upright shaft of preferably rectangular form, surmounted by a cylindrical stack 6. 7 v

The shaft is composed of two sections above and below an elevated floor or plat form 7 whichaffords access to a charging door 8 which in its closed position is counter-balanced by a'weight 9. v

The upper section of the shaft, above the floor, has a lining 10 of fire-brick or other similar substance, and the lower section below the floor has a surrounding water-j aclret 12 provided with an inlet-opening 13 and an over-flow pipe 14. v

The lower portions of opposite sides of the sections slant inwardly to concentrate the downwardly moving material to the mouth of the crucible beneath the shaft, as best shown at 15 in Figure 2 of the drawings. I

Immediately beneath the converging sides offlt'he shaft are two tuyeres 16 of slot-like form which extend the entire length of said sides in opposed relation to each other. The

tuyeres connect at their outer ends with two separate air-chambers 17 which are disposed exteriorly of the furnace and rigidly connected at their ends bymetal braces 18 lined with fire brick. I v

The entire tuyere structure surrounding the furnace at the lower end of the shaft, and partially supporting the latter, is mounted upon four columns 19 which are erected upon suitable foundations 20.

The air chambers connect with branches 21 of a blast pipe 22 through which air is forced into the shaft, and the passage of the air through-said branches is regulated by manuallyadjustable gate-valves 23. p y

The air chambers have at their outer sides, removably fastened doors 24 for cleaning purposes and the doors are provided with peepholes 26 to observe the operation of the furnace and with bar holes 25 for the removal of obstructive matter from the tuyeres.

The crucible 27 of the furnace adjoining the tuyere structure at the lower surface thereof comprises an outer wall 28 composed of five sections adj oiningly assembled around an inner wall 29 of fire brick.

The sections 39 and 31 of the Wall are each composed of a hollow metal. shell filled with aninsulating material such as sil-o-cel powder known as an eflicient heat insulator for high-temperature work, and they are removably fastened together by exteriorly applied bolts.

The four upright sections 30 of the wall adjoin each other along diagonal lines and they are reenforced by exteriorly applied angle bars 32, and the bottom or sole sectlon 31 is fastened below the others by bolts 33 assing through angle flanges 34.

The bottom section 31 is preferably strengthened by the admixture of cement with the insulating substance, and it is'reenforced by a continuous channel-flange 35 bolted, riveted or otherwise secured at its underside.

The bolts fastening the upright sections extend transversely of the corners of the wall as best shown in Figure 5, part of them being applied between parallel reenforcingbars as at 36, and others extending through sleeyes formed interiorly of the sections as at 3 The crucible is as usual, provided with a taphole and spout 38 for the discharge of matte or metal and with an outlet 39 for the removal of slag and it is vertically movably supported on a four-wheel truck 40 by jack screws 41.

The truck rests on rails 42 and in order to remove the crucible from beneath the shaft, it is but necessary to lower the crucible by rotation of the jack screws and move it outwardly along the track between the columns which support the air-chambers.

In order to connect the crucible with the shaft, it is elevated by the jacks into engagement with the lower surface of the tuyere structure, and the joint is rendered air-tight by an interposed layer of clay 43 laid in a channel at the top of the knockdown wall and extending over the top of the fire brick lining.

In the operation of the furnace, the ore and fuel are as usual fed into the shaft in alternate charges through the door 8 and the matte and slag are discharged from the crucible through the openings 38 and 39 respectively. I

The combustion is intensified by air forced into the furnace through the tuyeres, and the admission of air to the burning mass is regulated by means of the valves 23 in the branches of the pipe 22 which connects the air-chambers with the source of air under pressure.

This is of particular value in the event of the furnace crusting at one side, when by shutting of the air to the wind box at the crusted side, the consequently intensified blast entering the furnace through the tuy-ere at the other side, will drive the fire toward the obstructive matter and melt it down.

The crucible is readily removed for repairs and may be instantly replaced by an other crucible to continue the'furnace in operation while the repairs are being made, and the knock-down construction of the outer wall of the crucible affords ready access to the fire-brick lining for its repair or renewal. I

The provision of a wall composed of hollow sections filled with insulatingvmaterial isan economical, efficient and practical substitute for the air-chamber heretofore employed for the same purpose. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a blast furnace including a crucibleelement and a thereto superposed shaft-element, a tuyere fitted between the elements, and an air-box outside the furnace in connection with the tuy-ere, the tuyere opening in the upper portion of the box to provide a sump in the lower portion of the same, in which to collect matter enteringthe air-box through the tuyere, and the air-box'having a normally closed opening for the removal of said'matter whilethe parts are'in place.

2. In a blast furnace including a crucible element and a thereto superposed shaft-element, tuy-eres arranged opposite to'each other between the elements, air boxes'outside the furnace, separately connected with respec-f ,tlX'B tuyeres, conduits to, connect the airboxes separately with a source of,,air sup? ply, and valves in said conduits-separately operable for the selective regulation of the admission of air to the furnace through both of the tuy'eres or through either of the tuyeres exclusive of the other.,

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. 1

CLEMENT H. MAoEQ 

